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Regarding your editorial "Hookers and politicians" (June 23): As a 30year
resident of the Mission district and a retiree, I have no complaints about
prostitutes being on our streets. Frequently, the women who solicit are
friendly and respectful toward me and other residents of the community _ As
an older woman, I feel safer knowmg they are there when I walk home
at night from a friend's house.
The City needs to spend money on some basic amenities for all members of
the communities, including prostitutes. I agree with the recommendations of
the Task Force on Prostitution calling for San Francisco to stop enforcing
prostitution laws, and spend the $7.6 million in a more constructive way. I
remember the free child care and free health centers in San Francisco 25
years ago. Today, Mission Health Clinic struggles to make ends meet and
remain open.
Because of your editorial, I got a copy of the task force's recommendations
and am struck with the depth of research and findings that support their
work with The City. I hope they're successful in turning around some
concepts that are wrong about prostitutes, stop the police harassment and
get some meaningful programs started again.
PENNY SCHONER
San Francisco
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As a small business owner, I was shocked to read in your editorial that
San Francisco is spending $7.6 million to enforce prostitution laws. What
harm do women prostitutes do to warrant so much taxpayers' money spent on
arresting and prosecuting them?
I would like to see our leaders act on the recommendations of the San
Francisco Task Force on Prostitution by lowering the police priority for
enforcing these laws, with the goal of decriminalizing prostitution
altogether in our fair city. Politicians need to call off the cops and stop
arresting people for what is, after all, consensual sex I would like to see
our taxpayer money going into pursuing violent crime against prostitutes
and other women.
If prostitution is, indeed, the world's oldest profession, then it's way
past time that these workers achieve an equal measure of human and civil
rights with other workers. This can only happen by decriminalizing
prostitution.
MARTHA DEVINE
San Francisco

Living on Capp Street in one of The City's "red light" districts, I welcomed
your editorial on the city report on prostitution. I see firsthand
that violence or threats of violence by pimps or customers is a daily
occurrence in a prostitute's life.
I agree with your editorial that The City's way of dealing with
prostitution does more harm than good. That $7.6 million spent to enforce
prostitution laws could be spent better on services to prostitutes, and to
improve innercity neighborhoods. Something as basic as better lighting and
trimmed trees would make many residents of Capp Street feel more secure at
night.
Arresting prostitutes ignores the real problem of violence toward women
and neglect of our inner city.
BETTY TRAYNOR

* * *
I am glad to see you covering the issue of prostitution. What needs to be
addressed also, however, is the relationship this issue has to communities
of color. As an African American woman, I am concerned at how many police
officers treat people of color; in general and, even more important, when
they are suspected of committing what the police consider is a crime.
I have no history of prostitution, and I resent the fact that I have been
hassled by San Francisco police officers trying to entrap me for
prostitution.
I was waiting for a friend on the corner of 24th and Mission streets,
evidently during a sweep. A plainclothes officer came and sat by me and
proceeded to harass me by relentlessly trying to solicit prostitution
services from me. I was wearing attire any college student would wear
jeans and a coat, nonsuggestive clothing. I was suspected of being a
prostitute just because I am black.
I know firsthand that police officers mistreat people of color based on
their racist attitudes. I have experienced being treated in a very hostile
manner when stopped by police when I was with my black friends, and treated
in a civil manner by police oficers when with my white friends.
I understand that prostitution is a necessity for many women, as a means
for them to support themselves and their families.
Keeping prostitution illegal gives the police just another excuse to
harass women of color.
CHANDRA REDACK
San Francisco

* * *
In your fine editorial about the unfair treatment of prostitutes in San
Francisco, I was particularly taken with the willingness of your staff to
listen to a point of view other than the one conventionally held on the
subject.
There are very good statistics to show that the majority of women who work
as prostitutes are mothers, not drug addicts. Women work in the sex
industry because most jobs available to working mothers do not offer a
salary that will provide for their basic expenses.
It is time that the public became aware of the reality of prostitution and
not the lies and myths that prostitutes are somehow morally bankrupt, evil,
inept or drugaddicted. Popular conceptions of prostitution are contrary to
the facts, based on negative attitudes toward women in general.
Your editorial served to provide a window on the truth, and therefore to
provide an enlightened and humane perspective that is more worthy of a city
known for its openness to people of all socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic
backgrounds, as well as regard for individual rights in choice of
activities with consenting adults.
Isn't it time The City discontinued harassment of purveyors of paid sex,
as well as their customers, and put our police force to work on more
usefill activities like solving real crime? The hypocrisy of the
leadership of San Francisco is alarming when one realizes that over $7
million a year is wasted by our police force hounding women who are going
about the business of paying for their rent and groceries. So many cutbacks
have been made to The City's social programs and to support the arts. The
City's taxpayers would benefit much more were the needs of these programs met.
That the police swept street prostitutes from the Tenderloin during the
mayors' convention is particularly disturbing. Why do city officials have
so much concern with image and so little regard for the well being of their
constituency?
San Francisco, of all places, seems to have a narrow political perspective
when it comes to working women. Articles such as your editorial can make a
real difference to the lives of so many.
LEE A. HAwoRT~ Mill Valley